By Ruth Bayang
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
On Nov. 6, Kent Police released the names and addresses of the 18 massage parlors that the city shut down last week for violating city and state licensing requirements and allegedly serving as fronts for prostitution.
A police media release said that during a months-long investigation, it was discovered that while many of these businesses advertise for massages, their real purpose is to engage in prostitution.
In addition, these businesses utilized employees who are not licensed by the state, failed to follow regulations to protect the health and privacy of patrons, and failed to properly post licenses.
Mako Carlson owns Serenity Moon Tea, a tea shop next to Oriental Spa, one of the shuttered massage parlors. She told the Northwest Asian Weekly, “I was looking at the Yelp review (for Oriental Spa) and one customer wrote about ‘the finish’ and ‘cute Asian ladies.’”
Another customer wrote on Yelp that the business was “sketchy” and that the masseuse wore a skimpy outfit. He went to say, “I wonder if they provide a different kind of service. The city of Kent should look into this.”
Carlson said she saw several Kent police and FBI vehicles in the parking lot, and agents dismantling the signs on the business last week. She took a photo of a notice posted on the door on Nov. 2 that told prospective customers that the business “remains under police surveillance.”
In addition to shutting the businesses down, the city has charged or is considering filing criminal charges against massage parlor owners and employees for crimes relating to licensing violations, as well as prostitution.
The following is the list of closed massage parlors and the businesses’ governing members, according to the Washington Secretary of State website. (* indicates no information found on the business or governing members.)
• Green Tree Spa, Lirui and Yarong Fu
414 West Meeker Street
• Yaya Massage (aka Sasa Massage)*
24228 104th Avenue Southeast
• Guerison Naturelle (aka Tranquil Aromatherapy), Jennifer Hoang and Hanh Vu
24204 104th Avenue Southeast
• XB Massage, Bian Li and Xue Ji
25441 104th Avenue Southeast
• High Hills Body Care, Anh Diep Hoang
320 East Meeker Street
• Lili Spa (aka Oriental Spa), Liping Cheng
134 Washington Avenue North
• Crystal Massage (aka Blue Harbor Massage Center), Xiaofei Gao
10830 Southwest Kent-Kangley Road
• Lily Massage (aka Fantasy Massage), Hong Zheng
1048 West James Street
• Body Craft*
18122 East Valley Highway South
• Ai Massage*
18119 East Highway South
• E-Spa*
519 Central Avenue South
• 8-Spa*
8459 South 212th Street
• Tropical Spa, Xueyun Ding
1601 West Meeker Street
• Suncoast Spa*
26650 Pacific Highway South
• Tai Ji Massage, Qiong Gao
25616 Pacific Highway South
• LH Footcare, Hang Liu
23301 Pacific Highway South
• Lucky Massage*
21018 108th Avenue Southeast
• Perfect Massage*
10700 Southeast 208th Street
Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.
Most of these closings are paperwork “violations” used to infer guilt and suppress business owners that cannot understand the nuances of English or the Legal System, so that Assistant City Attorney Victoria L. Robben can make a name for herself easily at their great expense.
Most of these business owners will be found to have spent tens of thousands of dollars to immigrate here, investing in diplomate health professional training at massage therapy institutions here, passing intensive national examinations on anatomy and therapy that are made all the more difficult as they are only given in English, even more massive investments in equipment and even more debt tied up in the form of multi-year leases on buildings and store fronts which they will now no longer be able to use or even pay for.
You do not spend $20,000 plus to immigrate and establish yourself as a medical professional with tens of thousands more in equipment and lease investments to try and make a profit engaging in business that is usually transacted in parking lots and bus stops for $5.
Just evidence that there are still ongoing battles in Washington State’s War Against “Chinese” Immigrants because they are EASY TARGETS.
Do you doubt that statement?
How many “white” businesses were searched and closed?